Denim Motorcycle Jacket vs Leather: Which Should You Actually Buy?

Denim or leather comes down to how and where you ride: your climate, whether you wear the jacket off the bike, and how much care you want to put in. What the material name can't settle is protection. That depends on how a specific finished jacket is built and tested, not on the word "denim" or "leather".

Protection: check the garment, not the material

In Europe, motorcycle garments are classified under the EN 17092 series. A class (AAA, AA, A, B or C) is awarded to a finished garment model after type examination: impact-abrasion tests on each material combination in each zone, seam and tear-strength tests, and checks on protector coverage and fit. The abrasion test drops fabric specimens onto concrete at a set speed and is pass/fail. A fabric on its own can't be "AAA".

So a leather jacket and a denim jacket can each be anywhere from unrated to AAA. If protection is your priority, look for the EN 17092 class on the label and ask for the declaration of conformity, whichever material you choose. In the US there is no federal standard for riding apparel; NHTSA advises covering arms and legs, "ideally by wearing leather or heavy denim".

Climate

• Hot weather: unperforated leather gets hot quickly. Denim breathes more and is easier to live with in heat.
• Cool, dry weather: leather blocks wind well on its own. Denim usually needs a warm mid-layer underneath.
• Rain: neither is waterproof. Leather is slow to dry and needs conditioning afterwards; denim soaks through but dries sooner. For regular wet riding, carry a waterproof shell.
• Changeable conditions: denim layers easily, so one jacket can cover more of the year with the right base and mid layers.

Off the bike

A denim jacket looks like everyday clothing, so you can ride to work or dinner and keep it on. A leather riding jacket reads more clearly as bike gear. If you'll wear the jacket all day, denim usually fits in better.

Care and ageing

Leather needs cleaning and conditioning, and it molds to you over time. Denim can be washed (always follow the care label), fades with wear and keeps the shape it was cut to. Both age well if looked after, just differently.

A quick way to decide

• Ride in heat, or wear the jacket off the bike? Look at denim.
• Ride mostly in cool, dry weather and only on the bike? Leather suits that well.
• Like both looks? Plenty of riders own one of each.
• Whichever you pick, check the label for an EN 17092 class, and make sure the shoulder and elbow protectors sit over your joints in the riding position.

Where our jackets fit

Our denim riding jackets, including the Button-Front Denim Riding Jacket, come in men's S to 2XL and women's XS to XL, in 23 fabric colors, with a custom made-to-order option. They have shoulder and elbow pockets with removable inserts included, plus an empty back pocket; a back insert is available as an add-on. We don’t publish test reports or protection classes for our garments. See Testing & Certification Information.